• Calls on Govt. to probe charges against DG

Former Treasurer of the dissolved Sri Lanka Automobile Sports (SLAS) Upulwan Serasinghe, in a letter dated 16 October, has urged the current National People’s Power (NPP) Government to launch an urgent probe against incumbent Director General (DG) of Sports of the Ministry of Sports Rear Admiral (Retd) Dr. Shemal Fernando.

This is in relation to alleged acts of abuse of power and various other charges against the DG of Sports.

Serasinghe, an ace motor racing champion with over 25 years of experience, told The Sunday Morning Sports that he had addressed his letter to Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya in her capacity as the Minister of Sports, along with a copy to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

He said that he had taken this step to open the eyes of the President and Prime Minister to the alleged abuse of power by the DG concerned and with a sincere motive of safeguarding the future of the country’s motorsports.

The one-time SLAS official stressed that he had submitted his copies, possessing watertight documentary proof, and challenged the DG to refute the charges levelled against him in any court or forum if possible.

Serasinghe has alleged in his letter, a copy of which was made available to The Sunday Morning Sports, that Dr. Fernando had continuously attempted to stall the progress of motorsports and a few other sports in the recent past.

He has drawn the attention of the President and Prime Minister to the incumbent DG having allegedly worked behind the scenes to suspend three other sports bodies, namely, Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR), the Netball Federation of Sri Lanka (NFSL), and the Cycling Federation of Sri Lanka (CFSL), along with his own association, SLAS.

According to Serasinghe, the Sports Ministry DG, who had been appointed as the Competent Authority (CA) of SLAS upon its dissolution by former Minister Harin Fernando on 29 May, has allegedly engaged in several acts of breaches of discipline while taking decisions in blatant violation of the country’s Sports Law.

The former Treasurer of SLAS has also alleged in his letter against the retired Rear Admiral that the latter’s actions have resulted in injustice to nine other clubs affiliated to SLAS, while not allowing them recourse to carry out their sporting activities.

The decorated former motor racing champion has alleged that the Ministry DG, while meting out step-motherly treatment to a majority of member clubs of SLAS, has instead been treating the Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders (SLARDAR) with kid gloves and that too in clear violation of the Sports Law.

Serasinghe has further alleged in his letter that Dr. Fernando in the recent past had allowed a firm belonging to one of his close confidantes to vote at the SLAS election of office bearers, intentionally disregarding the provisions of its Constitution.

Lastly, Serasinghe has urged the President to initiate a full-scale investigation into the charges directed at the Sports Ministry DG forthwith.

He has called on the President to relieve the DG of his duties immediately and appoint an independent competent authority instead to oversee the work of the office until the next SLAS Annual General Meeting (AGM) is held.

The former Treasurer of SLAS has also conveyed to the Government that he has documentary proof to substantiate the allegations levelled against the DG concerned and observes that he will submit this at the appropriate time.

Efforts made by The Sunday Morning Sports to contact Dr. Fernando for his response to the allegations directed at him proved futile.